ntries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in
Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

Climate: tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May
to November)

Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded
hills, some mountains
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary
with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Mount Mlanje Sapitwa 3,002 m

Natural resources: limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium,
coal, and bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 20%
forest and woodland: 50%
other: 5%

Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution
from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of
spawning grounds endangers fish populations
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: landlocked

People
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Population: 9,452,844 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 2,189,223; female 2,168,317)
15-64 years: 51% (male 2,371,518; female 2,472,245)
65 years and over: 3% (male 107,701; female 143,840) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.71% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 41.56 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 24.48 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
note: the return of refugees to Mozambique is apparently complete

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 139.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.16 years
male: 35.87 years
female: 36.46 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.91 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian

Ethnic divisions: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga,
Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian,